Sutures are known for use in medical procedures. While a monofilament suture may be suitable for certain wounds, for others, a multifilament suture may be desired. Multifilament sutures may exhibit better handling characteristics and be more supple than monofilament sutures.
Barbed sutures are also known. Both the type of suture and the configuration of barbs on the suture may be designed to optimize tissue holding for a particular indication. In some situations a random configuration of barbs on the exterior surface of the suture may be preferred to achieve optimal wound closure. In other circumstances, where the wound or tissue repair needed is relatively small, a reduced number of barbs may be desired. In still other circumstances, a bi-directional barbed suture may be desirable to permit passing of the suture through tissue in one direction over a portion of the suture and permit passing of the suture through tissue in a second direction over another portion of the suture.
While various methods of forming barbs on sutures have been proposed, such methods may be difficult or costly to implement. Thus, there remains room for improvement with respect to barbed sutures and methods for making them.